Ex-convict sentenced to up to 3 years in prison for Champion burglary

An ex-convict from Lowville, who has been returned to state prison for one to three years for possessing stolen property in Lewis County, was sentenced to a concurrent prison term Tuesday in Jefferson County Court for a burglary in the town of Champion.

Steven R. Spencer, 27, an inmate at Adirondack Correctional Facility, Malone, was sentenced to one to three years in prison for a Sept. 26 guilty plea to third-degree burglary. He admitted that in March 2010 he entered a garage belonging to David Fargo on Sayre Road in the town of Champion with the intent to steal two chain saws.

He was sentenced in Lewis County Court, Lowville, on Dec. 7 for a fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property conviction.

He was accused of possessing a 20-gauge shotgun belonging to Raymond Ramos on March 22, 2010, in the village of Lowville. He was released from prison in November after serving one year and eight months on a first-degree criminal contempt conviction from Washington County.

In other court activity Tuesday:

Benjamin T. Wormwood, 38, Watertown, was sentenced to 1½ to 3 years in prison for a Dec. 3 guilty plea to third-degree attempted burglary and an admission that he violated terms of an earlier conditional discharge. He admitted that on Oct. 18 he, with another man, tried to enter a vacant residence at 554 LeRay St. with the intent of stealing scrap metal. By doing so, he also violated a three-year conditional discharge to which he was sentenced in November 2011 for a third-degree burglary conviction.

Thomas J. Mays, 24, Brooklyn, was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by two additional years of supervision upon his release for a Dec. 7 guilty plea to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He had admitted that he possessed heroin packaged for sale May 18 at a Washington Street apartment. Judge Kim H. Martusewicz mandated that he serve his sentence in the prison systems Willard Drug Treatment program. If an inmate completes the 90-day program, he serves the remainder of his sentence under parole supervision.

Joseph L. Johnson, 47, an inmate at Midstate Correctional Facility, Marcy, was sentenced to an additional 1½ to 3 years in prison for a Nov. 5 guilty plea to first-degree attempted promotion of prison contraband. He admitted that while incarcerated at Cape Vincent Correctional Facility on May 2 he tried to possess a pencil with a 2-inch sewing needle protruding from it. He is serving a three- to seven-year sentence imposed in 2009 in New York County for a third-degree robbery conviction.

Anthony E. Bishop, 41, Watertown, was sentenced to an unspecified amount of time served at the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building and three years probation for a Nov. 9 guilty plea to third-degree assault. He admitted that on Sept. 4, he threw a childs bicycle at Robert Simmons, injuring him on Academy Street.

Shannon T. Nguyen, 23, Plessis, was sentenced to three years probation and was ordered to pay $1,557 in restitution after pleading guilty Nov. 20 to third-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal mischief.

He admitted that on June 28 he struck Edward Roberts with a baseball bat, injuring him, in the town of Alexandria and that on the same day he damaged a motor vehicle that did not belong to him.

Robert L. Taplin, 21, Watertown, pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree rape as a result of separate incidents. He also admitted violating probation by committing the new crimes.

He admitted that in August 2010 he engaged in sexual intercourse with a female under the age of 15 in Watertown and that on Oct. 24 he had sexual intercourse with a female under the age of 17, again in Watertown. At the time of the second incident, he was serving a five-year term of probation imposed in May for a third-degree attempted burglary conviction. He is expected to be sentenced Feb. 20 to 1½ to 3 years in prison as a second-felony offender and be ordered to register with the state as a sex offender.

Brian G. Kimmett II, 21, of 1311 Bronson St., pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct. He admitted to having sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl July 13 on Superior Street. He is expected to be sentenced March 18 to six years probation and be ordered to register with the state as a sex offender.

Kenneth J. Dykes, 23, Honea Path, S.C., formerly of Fort Drum, pleaded guilty to third-degree attempted criminal sale of a firearm and petit larceny. He entered his pleas using an Alford plea, meaning he did not admit to the underlying facts in the case, but was pleading guilty to avoid the possibility of being convicted of a more serious offense at trial. He admitted that sometime in November 2011 in the town of LeRay he tried to trade a 45-caliber pistol that had been reported stolen and that he possessed several rifles that had also been reported stolen. Mr. Dykes denied knowing the guns, which he obtained from another soldier, had been reported stolen. He is expected to be sentenced March 25 to time served at the PSB and five years probation, which will be transferred to South Carolina.

Devaun A. Frankson, 33, of 137 Charles St., pleaded guilty to third-degree assault. He admitted that he caused physical injury to a 5-year-old female Sept. 21 in Watertown. He is expected to be sentenced March 26 to three years probation and be ordered to perform 120 hours of community service.

Gerald A. Prevatt, 36, admitted violating probation and was resentenced to a year in the PSB. He was sentenced to five years probation in February after successfully completing Drug Court, to which he had been referred in June 2010 for two felony driving while intoxicated convictions.

He admitted violating probation by sharing alcohol with an underage female and by traveling outside the county without his probation officers permission.

In court activity Wednesday:

Craig M. Murdie, 21, formerly of Gouverneur, but now an inmate at Riverview Correctional Facility, was sentenced to 3½ to 7 years in prison for a Nov. 27 guilty plea to two counts of third-degree burglary as a result of separate incidents. He admitted that sometime in July he entered a barn on County Route 30 in Philadelphia with the intent of stealing copper and that, in the same month, he entered Cyclotherm, 787 Pearl St., again with plans to steal copper. The sentence will run concurrently with two consecutive two- to six-year terms, or four to 12 years, imposed in October in St. Lawrence County Court for two third-degree burglary convictions. He, with others, had been charged with stealing items from a Gouverneur garage, including an air conditioner and two large spools of wiring, and with stealing copper from a National Grid power station in Fowler.

Aaron J. Jewett, 19, of 25312 Ridge Road, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree grand larceny, also admitting that he violated probation by committing the new crimes. He admitted that on Oct. 12, with another teenager, he possessed a loaded revolver that he had stolen from a vehicle on Cosgrove Street. At the time, he was serving a probation sentence imposed for a conviction in February on a second-degree attempted robbery charge. He is expected to be sentenced March 25 to a year in the PSB.

Quaid Abduillah, 27, an inmate at Gouverneur Correctional Facility, pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted promotion of prison contraband. He admitted that he tried to possess a razor blade Oct. 27 while incarcerated at Watertown Correctional Facility. He is expected to be sentenced March 25 to an additional 1½ to 3 years in prison.

Arthur G. Parody, 52, of 600 William St., Apt. D3, Dexter, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree welfare fraud and fourth-degree grand larceny. He admitted that between September 2010 and Feb. 29 he received food stamps and other benefits from the Department of Social Services while failing to report the income of other people also living in his home. He is expected to be sentenced March 26 to five years probation and be ordered to pay $5,226 in restitution.

Norman W. Batchtler Jr., 47, Sackets Harbor, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He admitted that he possessed a knife Nov. 19 and that he used it in a manner in which he was prohibited because he has a prior criminal conviction. Watertown police said at the time of his arrest that he threatened Patricia A. Shea at an Arsenal Street hotel. He was subsequently sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge and ordered to perform 40 hours of community service.

John E. St. Laurent, 28, Watertown, admitted violating probation by failing to pay full court-ordered restitution during the time he was under supervision. He had been serving three years probation imposed in August 2010 for second-degree criminal trespass and fourth-degree criminal mischief convictions, having admitted that he entered a storage shed at the Watertown Urban Mission on Factory Street and that he broke a window on a door there. He had also been ordered to pay $239 in restitution, none of which has paid none. After his probation violation was admitted, he was discharged from supervision and a civil judgment in the full amount of the restitution was entered against him.

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